Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry

Our version of this curry, a favorite combination of vegetables in India, unites cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red-pepper flakes. Fresh cilantro provides an herbal note. Serve the curry as a generous side dish or with rice for a meatless main dish.

Keema Beef Curry

"I learned to cook Indian food from Julie Sahni, the former chef and teacher who wrote the seminal Classic Indian Cooking in 1980," says Grace Parisi. "Her outstanding cookbooks lay out the basics in ways that make so much sense to me. My deeply flavored keema (minced) curry is based on those simple principles."

Coconut Jasmine Rice

Coconut and kaffir lime are high on the list of favorite flavors in Sera Pelle's household. She has a kaffir lime tree on the balcony right off the kitchen and uses the leaves in everything, from vegetable stews to Thai-style soups.

Spinach Simmered in Yogurt

Yogurt-Marinated Lamb Kebabs with Lemon Butter

At Shahpura Bagh, a luxurious guest house in the Rajasthani countryside, chefs marinate lamb in yogurt to make it exceptionally tender, then give it an extra burst of tangy flavor with a basting of lemon butter just before serving.

Grilled Tandoori Chicken

Flavored by a yogurt-and-spice paste with ginger, cumin, and coriander, this chicken tastes almost as good as if it were cooked in a tandoor oven. Like Indian cooks, we remove the chicken skin and score the flesh so that the spice paste penetrates.

Basmati-Rice Salad with Cauliflower and Potatoes

Garlic, fresh ginger, mustard, and a medley of spices spark the hallowed Indian combination of cauliflower, potatoes, and rice. Serve it at room temperature, either alone or with a simple side of sliced tomatoes.